After repeated calls for better protections along the border of Faërie and Mundanity, the Elfking has single-handedly erected a series of new magical barriers between the two realms.
“These new defenses will help secure our fair kingdom from the onslaught of undesirables that had passed through the poorly constructed boundaries previously in place,” the Elfking declared in a pronouncement to his court. “None shall pass without my will and assent,” he continued, “lest they incur my wrath and face a fate worse than death.”
When asked, the Elfking declined to delineate the precise nature of the new magical barriers established at the border of the mundane world. Persistent questioning by one reporter ended with her being transformed into a toad.
For some time now – though, as is always the case here in Faërie, nobody is quite sure how long – the Elfking has insisted that a horde of changelings is currently making its way from Mundanity toward the border of our enchanted kingdom. This caravan of changelings has given rise to fears about how to properly care for such a large number of illegal immigrants. Because as everyone knows, there is no way to instantly create more food out of thin air or heal ailments with a slight wave of the hand in Faërie.
Critics of the Elfking have suggested that he is using fear and insinuation as a means to consolidate power and prevent would-be rivals from overthrowing his regime. They also point out that, if indeed a caravan of changelings is actually making its way toward our magical realm, it is a caravan of our own making, given that we swapped them for human babies in the first place. Most of those critics have also been turned into toads.
Regardless of whether such a caravan exists, the new border enchantments will make it harder not only to enter Faërie, but also to exit it. That means no more playing tricks on humankind, such as spoiling their food or enchanting one of them to become your plaything in a nightmarish half-aware existence for several lifetimes. The Elfking insists that legitimate transactions will still be allowed to cross the border, but his administration has been less than forthcoming with guidance about how exactly to accommodate reasonable requests.